The excitement builds as the Pittsburgh Pirates are set to battle the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on September 4, 2024, with first pitch scheduled for 7:40 PM under clear skies. Domingo Germán will take the mound for the Pirates, entering the game with a 6.113 ERA. Meanwhile, the Cubs will counter with Shota Imanaga, who has maintained a solid 3.137 ERA.

As of now, the Pirates sit 12th in the NL Central Division with a record of 65-73, achieving a .47 winning percentage. They show a divisional record of 22-19, ranking 5th within their group. With a recent upswing, they’ve won 4 of their last 10 games and are riding a two-game win streak. The Cubs, ranked 8th in the same division, display a 71-68 record and a .51 winning percentage. They’ve won 7 of their last 10 games, though they’re currently on a two-game losing streak.

As for the betting odds for this matchup, the Cubs are favored with a money line of -192, reflecting their stronger season performance and home advantage, while the Pirates, as underdogs, are at +158. The point spread is set at -1.5 in favor of the Cubs, with the over/under for total runs scored by both teams at 7.5. With these odds, bettors will be watching to see if the Cubs can cover the spread and if the total score will go over or stay under, adding an extra layer of excitement to the game.